U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, along with two other senior commanders, in what officials describe as the latest shake-up of military leadership under President Donald Trump.
Three U.S. officials confirmed the removals on Friday, though the Pentagon has not given an official reason. The changes reached beyond the DIA, with Hegseth also removing the chief of the U.S. Naval Reserves and the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command.
The moves come shortly after a classified DIA report was leaked, contradicting Trump’s claims about recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. While Trump said the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s program, the assessment suggested the damage was only temporary, setting Tehran back by a few months. The White House rejected the findings and criticized the leak, which officials say may have factored into Kruse’s dismissal.
Concerns Over Political Interference
Critics in Washington argue that the administration is reshaping intelligence leadership based on loyalty rather than expertise. Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the decision “a dangerous habit of treating intelligence as a loyalty test instead of a safeguard for the country.”
The Washington Post was the first to report Kruse’s removal.
Part of a Larger Pattern
This is not the first major leadership change at the Pentagon during Trump’s second term. Earlier this year, Hegseth removed Air Force General C.Q. Brown, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with several senior officers. In April, General Timothy Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency, was also fired.
Adding to the turbulence, the U.S. Air Force chief announced on Monday that he would retire early, a decision that surprised many defense analysts.
Security Clearances Revoked
The shake-up comes just days after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, under Trump’s orders, revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former U.S. intelligence officials.
The administration has defended the move as part of a broader effort to reduce government size and prevent what it describes as the “politicization of intelligence.” The cuts have included high-profile figures such as former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
